Dirt

Before writing Dirt, Bill Buford had explored Italian cooking in Heat. Here he turns his attention to France. He cannot speak French and admits to being lost in the language, yet he sets out to master French cooking and to understand why the country's cuisine is so highly regarded. The search begins in Washington, D.C., where he follows the well-known French chef Michel Richard, and it grows into a journey that lasts five years. It soon becomes clear to him that real training must happen in France. He moves to Lyon, often called the gastronomic capital of the country, with his wife and their three-year-old twin sons. There he studies at the Institut Bocuse and cooks at Mère Brazier, a restaurant that holds a Michelin star. The long hours and strict discipline of a professional kitchen draw Buford into an obsession with earning his place on the line. He wants to prove that he deserves the techniques he is learning, and he also sets out to show that much of French cooking has its roots in Italy. Written with the humor and sense of adventure that mark his work, the book immerses readers in the kitchens and streets of Lyon and the people who work in them.